Landlords, would you consider this if your tenants asked?

[DesperateTenant]

I have rented my current home for 13 years. I am a good tenant, I keep the house in excellent shape and care for it as if it was my own. I have never asked for anything, rent is always paid on time.

Landlord has decided to sell and I only discovered this when someone knocked on my door wanting a sneaky viewing. They showed me the listing on Rightmove, complete with pictures I was completely unaware were taken.

I am shocked and desperate not to move. I came from nothing and I've made a life for me and my children here. We have a real community around us. I'm at the point where I'll be able to buy locally within 6 months and staying in the area is so important to me.

I completely understand that legally I am not entitled to be told when the LL is selling and have no rights to ask for anything from the LL and I don't know their personal situation.

But, for the landlords out there, in these circumstances if your long term tenant asked if you would consider waiting 6 months and offered to pay more rent (currently pay £850, would offer £1150) would you?

Would it be completely unreasonable for me to ask this?

In 6 months I'd have enough to buy the house I'm in and would do so in a heartbeat.

please give shelter a ring and find out where you stand with this situation.

Of course its scary, but you do have some laws on your side.

I wonder if the estate agents know the property has tenants? Is it worth asking them, give them a ring and ask why the property is being marketed without the information that the house has tenants with a tenant agreement?

Refuse any viewing (as is your right) and offer on the house now. These things take a while any way and it’s quicker long term for your landlord to wait

@DesperateTenant I am a landlord and sold my first house to my tenants. They had told me shortly after they moved in that if I was ever to sell they wanted to know.
So I told them I was selling, I got 3 valuations and we agreed on the average of the three.

Did a fairly slow sell as they also needed to save slightly more and about 6 months it was all done.

100% ask.

It would save the LL estate agent costs - if LL took it off market now and then sold in 6 months they wouldn't need to pay the estate agent their 1-2% commission, so would save them money too.

I am a landlord and your LL has not behaved well IMO by not even telling you.

I would most definitely consider your suggestion favourably if I were in that situation. He/She would be mad not to IMO because houses take ages to sell anyway!

He's not a decent landlord if he hasn't even fixed broken windows that can be opened from the outside. That's not safe or secure - how can you sleep at night with children in the house knowing that someone could break in?!

You mention a gas fire that was condemned 4 years ago. Has your landlord been carrying out yearly gas safety checks?

Haven't read all your posts OP but as a landlord I think that's a bit of a sh*y way to do things when you've been in the property for so many years.

I would definitely speak to him asap, I think he would be silly not to accept your offer if you offer increased rent for the next 6 months. He will likely want to see some sort of proof that you'll manage to be in 6 months though. For all he knows you could just be stalling a sale until you find somewhere better then he would have to put it up for sale again

What a shitbag he is.

You sound like a decent tenant but your landlord sounds like an arse. Imagine not telling you. Imagine taking photos of your possessions without your knowledge. I wouldn't trust him at all.

It's going to be very difficult for him to sell the property. The listing is incorrect and once they know that, the estate agents will have to remove or amend it to say that the house does not come with vacant possession.
Having a tenant in situ means that the pool of buyers is small: basically other landlords. And they will be driving a hard bargain because they won't be able to renovate it without the vast costs and difficulties of getting vacant possession.
The LL is not only being unethical, he's being really stupid pretending to be selling an empty house.
If you tell the estate agents, they will talk to LL about a more realistic price, which will be lower than it would be with vacant possession.
So basically you are actually in a stronger position than you might think.

I am sure that he would 'snap your hand off'. It would probably take 6 months (or longer) anyway for your LL to sell the house.

You guys also wouldn't have to go through an Estate Agent which would save loads of fees.

I wouldn't offer to pay more for those 6 months of rent though - i would just say that you are interested in buying the property.

I wouldnt be too impressed with the fact that he came into your home that you have clearly been living in very nicely for the past 13 years and brought an estate agent round AND took pictures without giving you the heads up.

I am a landlord and what yours has done is not legal.

You need to get urgent advice from Shelter.

Does the estate agent even know that there are tenants?

I'd have a conversation with the LL, he's not behaving well by not telling you about the sale. You could make life very difficult for him! Possibly work out what you can afford and offer that now, even if it is below the asking price.

@DesperateTenant has your landlord even given you a section 21?

This!

He has been very underhand (re: photographs) so personally I wouldn't have any compunction about being an A-hole in return. How long until your lease is up?

I wouldn't offer to pay more for those 6 months of rent though - i would just say that you are interested in buying the property.

Also this.

Definitely ask. I’m a LL, kept it when I remarried to make sure I wasn’t homeless if anything went wrong. I’d definitely consider it if I were financially able. I find it very odd it’s on the market and you weren’t told though.

Landlord here

Whilst I completely agree that the photos shouldn't have been used, you should have been told, don't have to allow viewings etc. I wouldn't raise those issues if you want to buy it off him - I would look into getting finance and making an offer ASAP.

If you complain, however justifiably, he will likely not entertain your offer and issue a section 8 eviction notice to sell.

A good landlord would have given you warning of his intent to sell and if not selling with tennant would have ended your tennancy in the correct way before listing the property.

He’s stupid not to have spoken to you first, if you’re prepared to buy it in six months he could have saved himself estate agency fees by selling direct to you. I would phone him today and have a really honest chat with him. Say you were gutted to learn that your home was put on the market by a stranger knocking on your door. State your case that you have been a great tenant for 13 yrs and love the area and the house. You could say ‘look, if you take 5k off the asking price I’ll buy it today, that means you don’t have to decorate, clear it etc. Or take it off the market today and i’ll buy it for full asking price in 6 month bypassing any agents fees for you. Bear in mind, if you haven’t got the deposit today it doesn’t matter, most house sales take at least four months, to go through so you wouldn’t have to pay anything right now. It will make your LL’s life so much easier to sell to you, have a chat, be honest.

Please ask them OP! You're actually in a strong position - they know you and (assuming you can prove your financials) they should see there's less chance of you flaking out compared to a new buyer. I'm house-hunting at the moment and a lot of people are offering under asking price and pulling out of agreed purchases.

I'm surprised there's no legal requirement for landlord to tell you they're selling. Were the pictures taken recently?! If pictures were taken while you're there, and people are turning up asking for viewings, that seems like it infringes on your right to quiet enjoyment of the property. But no point raising that now as you want to be friendly, just express your strong interest in buying, start getting a mortgage in principle etc if you don't yet, and I agree with others not to offer increased rent just yet.

Yes this is a good response. if he says no then just stay on current rent until you can afford to buy elsewhere but make sure you get him fined first for all the times he's broken the law.

OP - we are LL's

Not letting you know is wrong!!

You not "asking" for anyhting - not sure what you are saying as its the T's duty to tell LL if things need repairs and a good LL will take action.

A good LL never enters without consent unless they are unable to get a response from T having made serious attmets to contact them over a period of time

Some here are saying they wait the 6 months - We would or may not!! In the real world it depends on the LL's circumstances and that is a fact. Not having a go at you OP but those that just posted saying they would but without sindering LL's plight

Good T's are hard to find IMO and we have some and we reward them by a 250/300 reduction in rent per month this year and the reduced rent has been from day one but not as great - we;ve not increased the rent for 3 years

Good luck OP

The landlord can't give a section 8. Section 8 is for rent arrears/breaking tenancy agreement he should be giving a Section 21.

I am a landlord. I am in the process of selling my late husband’s old home to the tenants. It makes so much more sense to sell to tenants if possible.

Your landlord sounds unprofessional, even arrogant, by putting the property on the market without even letting you know, and if he has accessed your home for photos without your consent he is breaking the law.

If he has to go through the eviction process it will take him many months, as it doesn’t sound like he has even issued a section 21, which in itself has to give at least 2 months notice.

Whilst it may be hard to negotiate without letting emotions get in the way there is possibly a middle path between threats and ‘bribes’ of extra rent.

I would suggest being ‘nice’. Explain it’s a shock after all of this time, and whilst you wish to cooperate it will take time to be in a position to move, that you are saving for a deposit to buy, etc. Do not offer more rent.

Depending upon how quickly/ smoothly he wants the sale to go it just might be worth him offering the shortfall in your deposit to help progress matters. It depends on how much that is, of course.

Whilst you could just stay put and see if you have the full deposit by the time a court eviction could happen, it’s probably not a good idea to incur a CCJ when you hope to buy in future. ( Eviction order shouldn’t affect credit rating, but financial order for costs may do).

I would change the locks in your position. It’s a quick and cheap process to change the barrel ( £6 -£15 ish for barrel and basic DIY/ handyman job).

Honestly if you were a good tenant i'd have approached you first about the possibility of buying. i certainly would not have let you be suprised by a rightmove listing. I have been the LL in this situation and had to sell due to finances and i was honest with my tenants from the moment i decided to sell.

I would also prefer the tenant to buy if i could allow it even if it took a bit more time. No chain. Less chance of them pulling out or messing me around at last minute, reliable and trustworthy. Also if selling as normal house he either needs to serve you a s21 notice now and risk it being empty for a long period of time if the buyer falls through or risk making the buyer wait for the property and them pulling out if you then refuse to leave. Round here the process for eviction and bailiffs is taking 22 months if the tenant refuses to leave. I would 100% prefer waiting six months and have my tenant buy the property.

Personally think your LL is a bit of jerk and i do think it's worthwhile approaching with this offer.

Don't be scared. You have a lot of rights and protections. You don't have to move until there's an eviction order and that will take longer than 6 months.

With broken windows an a condemned gas fire this sounds like an unwise purchase. Stay put, save up, and buy elsewhere once you have your deposit together.

Good luck with this, I hope they say yes, I'm a landlord and would happily do this if my tenant asked!